Hauliers need better rates

British business must accept that it needs to pay more for road haulage because of soaring fuel costs, says the Road Haulage Association.

It says the UK Treasury's diesel duty hike on 1 September will make three increases in nine months, totalling 12%.  By next April, duty will be up 16% in as many months.  "Duty is now a 25% tax on road transport," says Jack Semple, RHA policy director.  The next tax hike comes on top of a 4.5p a litre rise in diesel commodity prices since the spring Budget, when the Chancellor said energy prices would fall.  Hauliers must have higher rates, says Semple, continuing that their customers should complain to the Treasury not the operators.